Elk Hunts
Elk Hunt Introduction
For some, the sound of the wilderness is
the cry of the loon. To others, it is the
howl of a wolf. However, here in the West,
what gets our blood boiling is the shrill
bugle of the bull elk. To us, no sound
in the outdoor world compares. Gene
Pearson of South Dakota can relate. On
a hunt with us a few years ago, he downed a
353-inch monster that ranked 2nd
in Colorado and 7th in the world!
That was Gene’s first elk and he’s been
hooked on elk hunting ever since.
Through our outfitters, SSO offers
Colorado guided private land elk hunts and
Idaho backcountry archery elk hunts.
Hunt #1E - Colorado Ranching for Wildlife Private Land Elk Hunts - New!
This ranch is in the Colorado Ranching for Wildlife Program. What that means is you can hunt anytime you want during a 90 Day Bull season and don't have to draw a tag. The ranch encompasses over 120,000 acres of private land to hunt! You should expect to see an average of 20 to 50 elk per day with more animals entering our property on a daily basis during the hunting season. The average bull taken is a 5 point with some 6 points harvested. Our outfitter offers a unique hunting experience. Elevations range from 6,500 to 10,000 ft. above sea level allowing migrating Elk to never leave the property.
Early season Rut hunts are foot and horseback only. We do not allow any vehicle traffic, maintaining the integrity of the hunt and keeping the land unspoiled. Hunters can choose their favorite hunting method; Rifle, Muzzle Loader or Bow. Our expert guides will lead guests on one of the most exciting forms of hunting in North America, stalking big Elk. Our expert guides will maneuver guests into shooting lanes and call the animal to you on the ground. Few things compare to coming face to face with a 6-700 lb. Bull Elk during the rut.
About the Hunt & Facilities
Hunters can stay at either the main lodge or at the horse camp at about 9500 ft. There are 3 cabins and horse stables located at this outpost. Each cabin is equipped with two twin beds and propane heating. These cabins come fully equipped with on site staff & chef but still offer the rustic charm that makes this land so beautiful. Large camp fire for relaxing and replaying the events of the days hunt.
Hunts begin about 5:00am, when guests ride out for their daily adventure. Hunters break for lunch between 10&11 while Elk bed mid day. Refreshed, guests go back out between 2-3 in the evening, hunting till dark.
Stay at the main lodge
The lower main lodge is also available for Elk Hunters. More like being at home, this lodge has running showers and even satellite TV. There is also a second stable for horses and mules and a large campfire for relaxing and replaying the days hunt.
Our Staff
We have 4 full time guides 3 seasonal guides each with years of experience on this property. Each guide has unmatched knowledge of the habits of the animals and terrain. The owner has owned this camp for 20 years.
* Excellent meals prepared by our own chef
* Transportation to & from Hayden Airport
* 120,000 plus Private Acres with limited number of hunters
* High success ratio on 5 pt. or better Bulls and Bucks
* Excellent references
* Warm, comfortable accommodations
Rut Hunt Cost $5750
Trophy Deer Hunts
Our outfitter also offers some of the best mule deer hunting available in Colorado. Average size mule deer is about 160-170, class bucks with the biggest ever being over 200 shot in 2003. Those not accustomed to Colorado mule deer hunting will be amazed at the sheer number of animals they will see. Some herds here can grow to over 300 to 500 animals.
Hunt Cost $5700
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Hunt #2E - Eastern
Montana Private Land Trophy Elk Hunts
- New!
We have a new awesome bowhunting-only elk property in
eastern Montana with monster bulls. Our Montana
outfitter has just leased 18,000-acres of private land
in one of the best trophy elk areas in Montana in the
eastern part of the state east of Billings. This area is
world-renowned for trophy elk and is near where Chuck
Adams shot the world record. The ranch has never been
hunted before during modern times and 2007 will be the
first time with only a very limited number of
bowhunters. The property is bowhunting-only and the
bulls are huge, with mature bulls ranging from about
340 to 400 inches!
Archery licenses are not difficult to draw.
The hunt is 7-days fully guided (1x1) and
if the guide is comfortable in the hunters
experience and ability, the hunter can
continue to hunt the ranch an additional 7
days on his own.
This may be your best chance to take one
of those monster bulls we all see in the
magazines.
7-Day Fully-Guided 1x1 Hunt $7000
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Hunt #3E - Southwest Montana Private Land Elk Hunts
Stick & String Outfitters is proud to present a
unique opportunity. We have located a series of
private ranches located near White Sulphur Springs
Montana and in Eastern Montana east of Billings.
In order to overcome low success rates associated with
public land hunting we have tried to locate properties
where hunting pressure can be controlled, there is a
variety of elevations so hunting can be adjusted to
weather patterns, there is no wolf population, and game
populations our plentiful.
The 70,000 acres of private ranch land near White
Sulphur Springs is home to one of the highest
concentrations of elk in the state of Montana.
Hunts have been conducted in this area since 1967 with a
success rate ranging between 65% and 94% on elk over
this period of time. The ranches in this area are
home to some of the most panoramic scenery in Montana.
In this area clients may choose to hunt elk, white tail,
mule deer, or antelope. Average elk range in size
from 280-320. Average harvested whitetail average
in the 130-140 range. The average mule deer is
140-170. These are average scores of these animals
in this area. It is possible to harvest a larger
animal but clients need to understand that these numbers
represent the norm not the exception. The ranches
in this area also have some beautiful trout streams and
lakes. The lakes and rivers in this area are
stuffed full of trout and due to the scenic nature of
this region this is a great place for a summer trip.
Hunters will fly into Bozeman, Montana where they will
be picked up at the airport. Accommodations are
clean and comfortable.
7 day elk and whitetail or mule deer combo
hunt-$4,550
1x1 guiding
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Hunt #4E - Northwest Montana Public Land Trophy Elk Hunts
Excellent opportunity - lots of action. If you're
looking for that special spot to hunt year after
year—look no further, this is the place for you!
About Our Outfitter
LICENSED & BONDED FOR TROPHY HUNTS IN MONTANA our
outfitter is licensed to hunt the Cabinet Mountains in
MONTANA (Kootenai National Forest), as well as some
amazing private land. We have trophy hunts for all big
game animals, elk, whitetail, mule deer, mountain lion,
moose, bear, sheep, mountain goat & buffalo.
Born & raised in the area, our outfitter has been in
the outfitting business for more than 30 years. And plan
to be for another 30 years! He grew up 2 miles down Elk
Creek, hiking, hunting and enjoying the great outdoors.
His guides are and he are all experienced hunters and
know the animals & country well. Together they will work
as hard as possible to make your elk hunting trip the
best it can be!
Location and Terrain
Our outfitter has a vast amount of private land along
with National Forests of Montana, which produces trophy
class animals year after year. Located in Northwestern
Montana, our outfitter's hunting lodge and permitted
area is located 70 miles south of British Columbia,
approximately 2 1/2 hours from Missoula, MT. If flying
in this is where we pick up all our hunters.
Our outfitter is permitted to guide on over a million
acres of land in the Kootenai National Forest including
the Cabinet Wilderness Area, a very wild and remote
area.
The terrain is mountainous with thick timber, deep
valleys, and steep mountains. This combination of
terrain leads to excellent trophy quality because the
bulls can reach maturity. Bowhunting during the rut is
the best way to harvest one of these trophy bulls.
Trophy Quality
Due
to the remoteness of the area and the deep, steep and
thick terrain, the area has some of the best trophy
quality in Montana with mature bulls ranging from about
280 up to nearly 400 inches. The largest archery bull
shot to date is 360 but bulls over 380 have been shot
with firearms. The bull to cow ratio is an excellent
30/100 and the elk population is at an all time high.
Hunting Method
Our
outfitter uses a unique combination of bowhunting
methods. In the mornings, team calling and still hunting
will be used and in the evenings, hunters will sit
treestands over wallows and crossings. Our outfitter has
over 40 treestands set up for this purpose. This hunting
method has been very successful for our outfitter.
Licenses
We offer guaranteed licenses for Montana. The cost of
a guaranteed elk license through an outfitter is $895.
The application deadline is in March.
Lodging
Gearing
up with a hearty breakfast served buffet-style in the
lodge and some great Montana coffee, hunters start the
day off right for the exciting days ahead. Guides &
hunters alike are ready to roll before first light.
After hunting hard all day, our main lodge and 3 cabins
are a great escapes for a home-away-from-home. Hot
showers and great home-cooked dinners with a toasty fire
nearby are definitely what a hunter needs after a day of
hunting. Although many stay late to trade hunting
stories at the lodge, the warm bed is very inviting
after a day on the mountains.
Hunt Price, Duration and Dates - $3000
Archery elk hunts consist of six full days of hunting
(September 7 to early October).
Only $3000 for 6 full days including food and
lodging
Important Note: We highly recommend buying a bear tag
too. The past few years we have been seeing an
incredible amount of bear during archery season. No cost
to hunt bears but a $500 trophy fee if harvested.
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Hunt #5E - New Mexico Public and Private Land Trophy Hunts (1x1
Guided)
This hunt is with one of the best elk outfitters in New
Mexico. They have been running their operation for over
10 years and have several different options for public
and private land trophy elk hunts. The trophy quality
in New Mexico is second to none with mature bulls
generally ranging from 320 to 390 inches. Opportunities
for 300-inch plus bulls are very realistic for hunters
that come in shape. Our outfitter caters to bowhunters
and has extensive experience guiding archers. Many
nationally-known bowhunting celebrities have hunted with
our outfitter and filmed television hunting shows. This
is an excellent opportunity to take a monster bull with
a bow. Licenses on private land are guaranteed and
licenses on public land are issued on a drawing basis or
you can purchase a landowner tag.
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Sacramento Mountains Draw System Elk Hunting
Our outfitter’s Sacramento Mountains elk hunt has
been featured on outdoor television shows such as
"Whitewater's Just Hunting", "Outdoors in the
Heartland", "Betterbuilt's World of Hunting",
"Bushnell's Secrets of the Hunt" and "Scentblocker's
Just Hunt".
This hunt was featured in the July 2005 issue of
Outdoor Life in the article,
"To Hell and Back"
by Mark Sullivan.
The hunt also appeared in the February/March 2006
issue of NRA Free Hunters in the article
"Land of Enchantment"
by Pete Angle.
Outdoor Life editor, Todd Smith hunted the
Sacramento Mountains with Our outfitter and wrote a
feature article about the hunt, titled
"Prime-Time Bulls",
in the March 2007 issue. Check out the video!
Hunting Terrain
The Sacramento Mountains of south-central New Mexico are
the setting for the most exciting elk hunting available
in the west. The country ranges in elevation from 7,000
feet to over 11,500 feet. The terrain consists of deep
canyons and ridges of black timber, aspens and oaks
mixed with alpine meadows. These mountains are
contiguous with the renowned Mescalero Apache Indian
Reservation and comprise the southernmost range of the
Rocky Mountains in New Mexico.
The Sacramento archery elk hunts are very physically
demanding. Guides are aggressive in locating and
pursuing bugling bulls and you need to be able to go
where the bulls are if you are going to be successful.
Previous hunters will attest to the steepness and
magnitude of our terrain, but can also tell you about
the quality of the elk that reside in these mountains.
Come prepared and you will experience the hunt of a
lifetime.
Trophy Quality
Hunters who show up in shape can generally expect to
get shot opportunities at P&Y caliber bulls. Although
any bull is a trophy with a bow, the 260 to 360-class
bulls are the object of this hunt. On the average, 4
out of every 5 prepared hunters will get that
opportunity.
Lodge vs. Pack-In Camp
The 2007 Sacramento Mountains elk hunts will be
conducted out of both the lodge and the pack-in camp.
Neither camp offers a better chance at good bulls than
the other. It is purely a matter of how you would rather
hunt. Elite's guides can get you into elk just as easily
from the lodge as they can from the pack-in camp.
The lodge hunts are conducted out of a hunting lodge at
the edge of the wilderness area. If you want a hot
shower and all the modern conveniences of home awaiting
you at the end of the day, then the lodge camp is the
way to go. Vehicles are used to access the hunting areas
and then all hunting takes place on foot. However, you
cannot rely on the vehicles as a substitute for getting
in top shape. At some point you must get out and do your
hunting on foot. The primary advantages of this camp
over the pack-in camp include access to a much larger
hunting area, lower hunting elevations, no tents and a
home-cooked dinner each evening.
The pack-in camp is situated in the middle of a
Wilderness Area in an area that cannot be
accessed from the lodge camp. This hunt is conducted
out of a remote, spike camp during archery, muzzleloader
and rifle seasons. This camp is located in the roughest,
steepest part of the Wilderness and is by far the most
physically-demanding area to hunt. The advantages of
this camp are solitude and a true wilderness
experience. To reduce the human impact in the hunting
area, only the guides and hunters will be in camp. No
cook will be on duty. Meals will consist of ready-to-eat
foods and freeze-dried dinners. A wrangler will be
on-call to retrieve downed elk.
Archery Statistics
Out of 15 archery hunters in 2007:
**First year with 1 on 1 guides exclusively for all
archery hunts**
* 14 (94%) had shot
opportunities at 6-point or better bulls
* 10 (67%) harvested a 5-point or
better bull
* 9 (60%) harvested a 6-point or
better bull
2008 Archery Prices
6-Day Sacramento Archery Elk Hunts
$4900 (1 on 1)
$7900 (1 on 1) for a guaranteed landowner permit hunt
(allows you to hunt public land also)
2008 Archery Seasons
Sep 1-6, 2008
Sep 9-14, 2008
Sep 17-22, 2008
2008 Draw License
$766
The Draw System
Anticipated draw success for the Sacramento archery elk
hunt is 1 out of 4 applicants. These draw odds are
phenomenal considering the quality of this hunt. The
best approach is to back up the draw hunts with a
guaranteed-tag or private-land hunt.
License Application Info
The deadline for
submitting applications for the draw hunts is April 7
and the actual draw is in late June. Our outfitter takes
care of all the application work for you. You do not
need to send in your license fee up front. If you
provide a credit card number, the Game & Fish will
charge you $6 to apply and only bill you for the license
fee if you are successful in the draw.
Licensing Fee
Our outfitter requires a
$500 deposit to apply you for the draw elk hunts. If you
are unsuccessful in the draw and leave your $500 deposit
with them, you will lock-in the hunt price at the time
of booking, until you draw and our outfitter will waive
a licensing fee. If you don't draw and wish to have your
deposit refunded, our outfitter will charge you a
one-time
licensing fee of $50 and refund the remaining $450 of
your deposit. Should you choose to reapply with our
outfitter in the future, you will never be charged any
additional licensing fees even if you choose to have
your deposit refunded each year you are unsuccessful in
the draw.
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Book This Hunt
Sacramento Mountains Private-Land Elk Hunting
Guaranteed licenses are available for private-land hunts
in New Mexico via the Landowner Permit System. Ranchers
are allotted landowner permits based on their acreage
and an elk-use factor. Our outfitter is able to obtain
these permits to offer you a guaranteed-license hunt
should you not wish to pursue the Draw-System hunts or
want to back-up the draw with a guaranteed-tag hunt.
Our outfitter will be conducting the private land elk
hunts on three premier ranches comprising a total of
23000 acres
located in the foothills of the Sacramento Mountains
of south-central New Mexico. You will not find better
free-range elk hunting anywhere!
The only way to hunt elk in New Mexico other than
drawing a tag is to purchase a landowner permit. Our
outfitter has secured landowner permits from three
different ranches to offer you a quality, guaranteed-tag
elk hunt.
These private-land hunts are high-success hunting
experiences that are possibly the best in New Mexico.
Realize all private land, even in New Mexico, is not
created equal when you start comparing with other hunts!
These properties border the famed Mescalero Apache
Indian Reservation for several miles. There is no finer
free-ranging trophy elk hunt in the country. It must be
experienced to be believed. No high fences and no
releasing of elk, just a solid, fair-chase trophy elk
hunt.
A maximum of only one to two hunters per hunt will be
booked on these ranches. To provide the best opportunity
to harvest mature bulls, each hunter will be guided 1 on
1, exclusively. The terrain consists of juniper, pinion
pine, oak brush and grass covered hills and mountains.
Food plots and water tanks have been maintained
exclusively for the elk. No cattle or livestock of any
kind have grazed the ranches for years. In essence, the
ranches exist for the elk, period.
The country is rough and much of it is densely forested
with pine and juniper trees, which is one of the reasons
why the elk like it. It also makes it extremely
challenging to hunt. Access to the hunting areas will be
with 4-wheel drive vehicles and ATV's. After that, the
hunt will require you to cover the hunting grounds on
foot to locate the bulls.
The licenses for all hunts are guaranteed without having
to go through the draw. Accommodations will be provided
either in a cabin at the ranch or in our outfitter's
lodge, depending on the hunt.
When staying at the lodge, your guide will drive you to
the ranch each day. All meals and field transportation
will be provided. Airport service is available into El
Paso, TX or Albuquerque, NM.
The primary hunting tactics for the archery hunts will
be spot and stalk, waiting for the elk near water, and
calling. The spot and stalk, and calling techniques are
used more in the mornings when the bulls are active
and bugling. The afternoons are usually spent watching
water holes and wallows.
Archery Statistics
The 2007 archery season produced four bulls that scored
over 320 out of six hunters.
Out of 6 archery hunters in 2007:
* 6 (100%) had shot
opportunities at 5-point or better bulls
* 5 (83%) had shot opportunities
at 6-point or better bulls
* 4 (67%) harvested a 6-point or
better bull
2008 Archery Prices
6-Day Archery Elk Hunt
$7900 (1 on 1)
Price includes a landowner permit for a guaranteed tag.
2008 Archery Seasons
September 1-6, 2008
September 9-14, 2008
September 17-22, 2008
2008 Archery License $555
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Book This Hunt
Hunt #6E - Northern Colorado Drop Camp Elk Hunts
Finding a quality drop
camp hunt in Colorado can be difficult. And because of
this, we haven’t offered these hunts for several years.
But we finally found an outfitter and area that are both
top notch. We now offer an excellent backcountry
horseback drop camp hunt in north central Colorado
northwest of Grandby in unit 18. The unit is one of
Colorado’s premier elk hunting units. The hunting area
is in a road-less primitive area and the only access is
via foot or horseback. Our outfitter’s camps are about
7-10 miles into the primitive area and there is very
little pressure. He has exclusive outfitting rights to
the entire western half of the primitive area which
comprises approximately 48,000 acres of National Forest
land. The area has a large population of elk with bulls
reaching 300 inches. Our outfitter only takes a limited
number of drop camp hunters (3-4 per camp and only 2
camps) and no guided archery hunters.
The Camp
A complete comfortable
camp will be provided for you. Our outfitter sets up
the camp prior to your arrival, complete with wall
tents, wood stoves, cots and mattresses, lanterns, all
cooking gear, dining and prep tables. Guests must bring
all their own food and beverage supplies, in addition to
all personal clothing and gear, sleeping bag, and bow.
Licenses
Archery elk licenses are
available over the counter.
Hunt Duration and Cost $1700
The cost of the 5-day hunt
plus 2 days of packing in and out is $1700/hunter
without food or $2,050/hunter with food.
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Book This Hunt
Hunt #7E - Southwest Colorado Backcountry Horseback Hunts
We offer excellent
backcountry horseback guided hunts in southwest Colorado
near Durango. You will hunt in some of the most
beautiful country in Colorado. The hunting area is in a
roadless area of Unit 74. Access to the area is very
difficult without horses; therefore, hunting pressure is
very light. The hunt is very rigorous so you will want
to come in shape. The area has good trophy quality with
bulls to 340 inches.
About Our Outfitter
Our outfitter knows
bowhunting as he is a serious bowhunter himself. He is
a stickbow shooter and guides a lot of traditional
archers. He has been guiding in the area for over 30
years.
The Camp
The hunts feature a
classic outfitter style camp equipped with the very
latest in outdoor equipment. Large wall tents furnished
with wood-burning stoves, roll-a-cots, dining facilities
and a hot shower enable our guests to enjoy their hunt
in a very comfortable fashion. Camp is packed in by
horses and mules prior to the arrival of our guests in
historically very productive areas. The main camp is
located at an elevation of 9,600 feet.
Licenses
Archery elk licenses are
available over the counter.
Hunt Duration and Cost $4000
The hunt is a full 6 days
plus 2 days packing in and out. The cost of the hunt is
$4000 for a 2x1 fully guided hunt. Archery elk licenses
are available over the counter. Black bear and mule
deer can be hunted for no extra charge (limited draw
licenses)
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Book This Hunt
Hunt #8E - Montana Private-Land Trophy Elk Hunts
Our outfitter leases
approximately 20,000 acres of exclusive
private land in the Crazy Mountains near Big Timber,
Montana with excellent trophy elk hunting. Trophy
quality generally ranges
from 300-360+. In 2007, 4 archery hunters
took 3 bulls and wounded 1. The smallest bull shot with
a bow scored 320. All 4 hunters rebooked for 2008.
5 days of hunting from a camp at the Crazy Mountains.
Licenses are guaranteed Outfitter Sponsored licenses. This hunt includes
transportation from Billings, Montana, guide services
and all food on hunt days.
390" gross Montana bull taken in September 2007 with a bow
Hunt Price $6000 1x1 for 5 Days
A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. VISA, Mastercard, and checks accepted.
Book This Hunt
